Locking means for boxes



DeC. 4, JAMES vLOCKING MEANS FOR BOXES Filed Ju ne 16, 1947 Patented Dec. 4, 1951 LOCKING MEANS FOR BOXES Louise llames, New Orleans, La., assignor to Huye Space Saving Box System 'Inc., New Orleans, La., a corporation of Louisiana Application June 16, 1947, Serial No. 754,850

4 Claims.

In said prior Huye patent, the locking means comprised one or more locking tongues carried by one box part or section to be received in co-l operating locking slots or recesses formed in another box section, with one free end edge,l of each tongue in abutting locking engagement with the corresponding edge of its respective recess. These two cooperating locking edges extended perpendicularly to the direction in which the two box sections must be moved in order to disassemble same and bore the entire strain of any disassembling force, such strain being concentrated or localized due to its exertion in only a single direction.

The present invention has for its primary object to increase the strength of said locking means by causing same to disperse the strain of disassembling forces in several different directions in the box material.

To attain this object, I form the improved locking tongues of the invention, carried by one of the box sections, of generally Wedge shape having side edges diverging in the directionof disassembling movement of the other box section, and the cooperating locking recesses of said other box section are formed with similarly diverging side edges to engage the aforesaid side edges of the locking tongues, so that during attempted withdrawal of either of said sections from the other side edges of the tongues will slide slightly along the corresponding side edges of their respective recesses to frictionally engage and exert an expanding or wedging action thereon, thus dispersing the resulting strain in opposite directions transverse to the direction of the withdrawing or disassembling force.

Preferably the locking tongue and its cooperating slot or recess are also formed with positive locking edges which extend transversely to the direction of the disassembling force.) and are normally spaced slightly apart to permit the aforementioned coaction between the` sloping side edges, but eventually come into positive locking abutment with each other to limit the disassembling movement and supplement the locking action of said side edges.

A further object is to stiien andl prevent buckling of the locking tongues about a transverse axis by having their side edgesin frictional engagement with the corresponding edges of the locking slots or recesses.

, A still further yobject is to provide in a box member or section an improved strengthened corner construction facilitating the accurate erection of the corner from a flat blank and defining therein a locking recess or slot to coact with a locking tongue.

The foregoing objects and advantages are attained by the preferred embodiments of the invention shown by Way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 represents a perspective View of a cardboard or fiber board or other sheet material box having the improved locking means of my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2, a view similar to Figure 1 showing the box body or body section and the bottom or bottom section in disassembled or exploded relation; l

Figure 3, a detail section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction o f the arrows, this View being enlarged to more clearly illustrate the coaction between the locking tongues and recesses respectively of the box sections or members; and, Y

Figure 4, a detail fragmentary perspective View showing the improved corner construction and locking recess defined thereby, in accordance with one feature of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, the reference character B therein designates a usual fiber board, card board or other usual sheet material box body or body section of generally conventional construction, While the reference character C designates a usual sheet material end closure section or bottom for same having marginal lips or flanges 2 adapted to snugly receive the lower end of the body section B in usual manner.

These flanges 2 preferably consist of upwardly folded4 panels integral with the main web of the end closure C and have their respective adjacent ends connected in any suitable manner, as by a strip of trimming paper P adhesively secured to the inner and outer surfaces and over the upper edges thereof. Preferably this strip is of a decorative nature and completely covers the exterior'lorf` said lips 2Y to conceal the locking recesses 5 therein. Interiorly the strip P is applied in such manner as to avoid covering said locking recesses 5 and thus interfering with the functions thereof. y

Attached to the respective sides or side panels of the box body B at its lower end are a plurality of usual marginal flanges 3 foldable inwardly along fold lines coincidental with the lower edges of their respective side panels.

A plurality of suitably disposed locking tongues 4 are cut out of the material of the box sides or side panels and left attached to the various flanges 3 to be urged resiliently outwardly as these flanges 3 are folded inwardly by kengagement with the main web of the bottom section C when same is applied as in Figure 1.

Locking recesses or slots 5 are formed in the` lips or flanges 2 of the closure section C to register and cooperate with the respective locking tongues 4 when the two box 'sections B an'dC are assembled. In the illustrated embodiment, Lcooperating locking tongues and recesses are 'disposed in the medial portion I'and also adjacent the end or corner respectively of each side or side panel of the box to thus form a strong and efficient locking engagement between these two sections. Ho'wever this particular arrangement or disposition of the locking means is notv essential, as the locking means of the invention is equally adaptable for use in other yarrangements 'or Vdispositions, as desired.

My invention relates particularly to the 'specific form vof the individual locking tongues 4 and recesses or slots 5 which, in accordance with my inventive concept, are -so shaped' and related generally wedge shaped, lbeing formed with relatively angularly disposed linear `side or irictional locking ledges `6 which converge toward the free end thereof and away from the bottom section C. Each locking recess 5 has Ysimilarly 'converging linear side or frictional locking edges 51, parallel to the side edges A5 of its respective locking tongue, the width of each slot or recess 5 being just slightly in excess 1of that of its respective tongue 4 to freely receive same when the end closure section C is ful-ly applied to the body section B, as in Figures 1 and 3.

While 'from abroad standpoint it `is not essential to provide other locking `edges than those provided by the iric'tional locking edges or sides 6 and 1 of the tong-ues and recesses respectively, it is desirable to form the tongues 44 or-truncated rather than complete triangular form, order to provide additional locking edges which serve to positively limit the relative movement Vbetween the tongues 4 yand their respective slots or recesses 5. With this in mind, the free end of each tongue d in the illustrated embodiment is fo'rmed with a linear end edge -8 extending between its side edges 5 transversely 'to the direction vof withdrawal or dissembling movement fo'f the end closure VC to abut against an oppositely disposed relatively parallel end locking -edge -9 of its respective recess 5.

As shown-in Figure 3, in the assembled condition of the box, with the closure section C fully applied to the body sect-ion B, the transverse end locking edge 8 of each locking tongue 4 vwill normally 'lie below and very slightly spaced from the coacting end locking edge 9 of its locking recess to permit a slight amount of withdrawal or disassembl-ing movement oi the l'section 'C such as wil-l cause the opposites'ide edges 5 of the tong-ues 4 to slide along the converging side edges *'l' of the `recesses 5, frictionally engaging Ysarn'e and exerting a spreading =or separating force thereon in opposite directions transverse to the withdrawal force on said end closure C. If withdrawal of the closure C is continued, the transverse end locking edge 8 of each tongue 4 will abut against the corresponding edge 9 of its repective recess 5 to positively limit and resist continued withdrawal. The frictional engagement between the side edges '6 and respectively will "obviously serve to stiften 'and reinforce each tongue 4 against bending or buckling due to the compressional force exerted thereon after the transverse Ylocking edges and 9 respectively are in engagement. l

In the operation of the complete invention, 'which "is believed tjo be obvious from the foregoing, as the 'nd closure section C is applied in usualimanner to the box body B, the engagement oi the flanges 2 with the locking tongues 4 at rst 'depresses said tongues 4 into the planes of their respective box sides. As the closure section is lcompletely applied to the box body, bringing the various locking lre'eess'es 5 into registry with their respective `locking tongues 4, each said tongue will snap resiliently outwardly into operative position its respective recess. lThereafter attempted withdrawal of the box section G will cause the -several respectively cooperating locking edges of the slots `or recesses 5 and tongues to function inthe manner 'described in the preceding paragraph.

In the improved modified form of corner construction show-n inigure 4, the iiange `sections v2 of the bottom 'C are folded upwardly `from the mai-n web thereoiD in usual manner to have their respective adjacent ends connected to denne corners.

-Each fdange section A2" isprovided at one end with a connecting tab o'r extension I l integrally secured and folded relative thereto along a vertical fold line I2 to be fastened in any suitable manner ush against the adjacent inner face of the relatively adjacent ange section 2.

This tab ll is fof gener-ally inverted L-shaped configuration having a perpendicular leg formed with a lower positioningfe'dge i3 at right angles to thefold lline Vt2 to vabutagainst the main web of the bottom 'C and prevent ifolding `of the ange section 2" past `pe'rpe-ndicular position.

The horizontal -legfor :portion of the tab I-I is provided with a :downward-ly directed horizontal or transverse locking edge 19' adapted and arranged to 'abut against the transverse locking edge 8 of a lockingto'ngue 4 in the same manner as in the preferred embodiment Iof locking recess aforementioned. This flocking edge 9 is :accurately `positioned by vthe action -of the aforementioned positioning edge t3, thereby insuring its proper cooperation with-:thelocking tong-ue 4.

vSuch ,modified construction is` `employed 'only where the additional strength imparted by the function of. the converging -side edges 6 of thetongues 4 is not required, and is 4preferably -supplemented .by additional recesses 5 which Vare constructed :and cooperate with said tongues "4, in accordance With the preferred 'embodiment "of the invention.

I claim:

Lock-ing means 'ifor securing cooperating '-box sections `in assembled frelation lcdrnprisin-g ya 'pl-ura-lity of wedge 'shapedtongnesintegral one of fsa-id sections vand having iree fende pi'ojettii-rg away from the disassernbiing'inovrnent -o'f Asaid other section, fsaid ether 4sec'ztlcin being formed with-a plurality fof docking recesses resp'e" 'ii/ely registering with andeon'frmingly receiving lAsaid tongues, each said tongue and its cooperating recess having relatively angularly disposed linear side locking edges converging towards the free end of said tongue and a transverse free end edge perpendicular to said disassembling movement connecting said side edges, the corresponding side edges of each said tongue and its respective recess being disposed for frictional wedging engagement with each other responsive to disassembling force applied to said sections to disperse the strain of said force in directions transverse thereto, and the said transverse free end edges thereof being normally slightly spaced to move into positive abutting engagement and supplement the locking action of said side edges.

2. Locking means'for securing a pair of sheet material box sections in assembled relation against a disassembling force applied thereto in a given linear direction comprising a wedge shaped tongue integral with one of said sections and having its free end projecting in an opposite direction to said disassembling force, said other section being formed with a locking recess conformingly receiving said tongue, said tongue and said recess each having relatively angularly disposed linear side locking edges converging towards the free end of said tongue and a linear free end edge extending transversely to said force and connecting said side edges, the side edges of said tongue being disposed parallel to the corresponding side edges of said recess for frictional wedging engagement with same responsive to application of said force to disperse the strain of said force in opposite transverse directions, and the said transverse edges of said tongue and said recess being'normally slightly spaced and in parallel relation to move into positive abutting engagement and supplement the locking action of said side edges.

3. Locking means for securing a pair of sheet material box sections in assembled relation against a disassembling force applied thereto in a given linear direction, comprising a Wedge shaped tongue integral with one lof said sections with its free end projecting in an opposite direction to said force, the other of said sections being formed with a locking recess conformingly receiving said tongue, said tongue and said recess each having relatively angularly disposed linear side locking edges converging towards the free end of said tongue and a free end edge connecting said side edges, the side edges of said tongue being disposed for frictional wedging engagement with the side edges of said recess respon sive to application of said force, and the free end edge of said tongue being disposed for positive abutting engagement with the end edge of said recess to supplement the locking action of said side edges.

4. Locking means for securing a pair of sheet material sections in assembled relation against a disassembling force applied thereto in a given linear direction comprising a wedge shaped tongue secured to one of said sections with its free end projecting in an opposite direction to said disassembling force, the other of said sections being formed with a locking recess receiving said tongue, said tongue and said recess each having relatively angularly disposed linear side locking edges converging towards the free end of said tongue, the side edges of said tongue being disposed for frictional wedging engagement with the side edges of said recess responsive to the application of said force.

LOUISE JAMES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 117,349 Tuttle July 25, 1871 1,683,192 Huye Sept. 4, 1928 1,818,266 Miner Aug. 11, 1931 2,025,589 Huye Dec. 24, 1935 2,369,386 Williamson et al. Feb. 13. 1945 

